Social Security Candidate Outlines Vision for Business, Worker Balance
Social Security Board candidate Wiralya Wongchan proposes balancing employer and worker interests through improved service efficiency, cash-flow assistance for businesses, and transparent fund management without reducing benefits.
Wiralya Wongchan, known as 'Som,' the employer-side candidate number 5 for the Social Security Board, presented her vision on Thai PBS's Citizen Station program on September 25, 2025. Drawing on her experience as an SME entrepreneur who built her own business, she outlined an approach to social security that balances the interests of employers, workers, and fund stability.
Wiralya proposed key measures including assistance for employers facing cash-flow difficulties without reducing worker benefits, improved service systems and user-friendly information access, reduced administrative steps and errors in contribution submissions, and dedicated support tools or centers for small businesses without dedicated HR departments.
Regarding fund management, Wiralya identified three priorities: maintaining adequate funds for benefit payments, prudent investment practices, and transparent oversight. Workers and employers should have access to clear, understandable information on fund returns, risks, and costs. She also emphasized preventive health measures such as health promotion and appropriate vaccinations to reduce long-term treatment burdens.
When asked what she would change first if elected, Wiralya noted that the Social Security Office's current operations have solid foundations, but immediate improvements can be made without legislative changes through service process redesign. Each matter should have a clear owner, defined timelines, and enable the public to track progress, reducing duplicate contact and processing time for employers and workers.
"Som believes employers should have rights, not just obligations, because every month for an employer represents expenses, not income," she said. "But at the same time, worker rights and fund security must advance together."
Wiralya stressed that social security improvements need not start with major overhauls but should address real problems faced by workers and employers. Solutions should be implemented quickly, measurable, and transparent, ensuring the system serves insured persons, employers, and fund security in the long term.
